doming & swaging

Doming

Doming, also known as sinking, dishing or dapping, is a metalworking technique where a two-dimensional sheet metal is molded into a three-dimensional object by hammering it into a concave indentation. While doming is a relatively fast method, it results in stretching and therefore thinning the metal. This could be problematic if the metal is overstretched and 'sunk' too far.

Doming is performed by using a curved hammer or mallet molding sheet metal into an indentation. The exact nature of the tools used varys greatly depending on the scale and nature of the work. A Steel Doming Block Fine work typically requires a small doming punch and a block. Larger work may involve a special sinking hammer and stump. The forming indentation does not need to be a permanent substance. Sandbags or lead blocks can also be used as a mold for doming.

Doming may be done when the metal is cold or hot. If a piece is extensively worked cold, it will work harden and require annealing to prevent cracking.

Swaging

Swaging is a metal-forming technique in which the metal is deformed to its final shape using high pressures, either by pressing or hammering, or by forcing through a die. Swaging differs from forging in that the swaged metal is cold worked, and the output of the swaging operation is usually the finished shape.

A swage block is a block of usually made of steel used in metalwork, with various sized holes in its face and usually with forms on the sides.

The through holes are of various shapes and sizes and are used to hold the end of a piece of metal for shaping, usually a bending operation. Shapes such as the curve and the hexagon can also be fashioned using a swaging block.